Door closer



June 16; 1936. L RK g 2,044,509

DOOR CLOSER Filed Sept. 17, 1954 2 Sheets- Sheet l At torney June 16,1936. L. c. PERKINS 2,044,509

' DOOR CLOSER I Filed Sept. 1'7, 1934. 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 AttorneyPatented June 16, 1936 NEED STATES PATENT rrica DOOR CLOSER Lester C.Perkins, Spokane, Wash., assignor, by direct and mesne assignments, toDavid J. Bissell, Spokane, Wash.

Application September 17, 1934, Serial No. 744,378

2 Claims.

My present invention relates to improvements in door closers of the typeemployed to automatically close doors.

An important object of my invention is to provide a door closer which isadjustable to permit regulation of the closing pressures of the device.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device of the naturedescribed which may be quickly and conveniently regulated and adjusted.

A still further object of my invention is the provision of a device socompact and simple of construction as to be both inexpensive in cost ofmanufacture and proficient in the performance of its functions.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent during the course of thefollowing description.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification andin which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughoutthe same:

Figure 1 is a view in elevation of the closer device of my invention;

Figure 2 is a central horizontal longitudinal section through the same;and

Figure 3 is an enlarged detail of the air escape control of the deviceof my invention.

In the drawings, wherein, for the purpose of illustration, is shown thepreferred embodiment of my invention, thenumeral 5 designates the baseportion of the door closer which may be cast or otherwise formed.Integral with the base 5 and extending therefrom is a bracket 6 which isroughly U-shaped and has two circular yokes I and I that support thehousing I between them. At their outer ends the yokes are rigidly joinedby the extension bracket 8 which forms a pivotal support for theoperating lever 9.

The housing I0 is cylindrical in shape and is secured by means of rivetsor screws through the circular yokes I, I. One end of the cylinder I0 isclosed by the head I I (to left in the drawings) and the other end bythe air escape head I2. Head I I is secured within the end of thecylinder ID by means of guide rods I3, l3 threaded in the guide block l4which is anchored at the approximate middle of the cylinder by screwsthrough the cylinder wall. Head I2 is threaded into the opposite end ofthe cylinder;

Thus it will be apparent that two cylinders are formed on either side ofa guide block I4, the one to the left housing the mechanical parts of mydevice and the cylinder on the right, the pneumatic mechanism. Mountedto reciprocate within the cylinder is a piston I5, of the leather orrubber cup type, rigidly secured to a piston rod l6 operating throughthe guide block l4. At its opposite end piston rod I6 has securedthereto a spring retaining cup I'I, into which spring I8 is seated.Spring I8 is seated in the head II. The bolt-headed guide rods l3, l3pass through head II, are encircled by spring I8, and pass through holesin the spring cup I'I, alongside piston rod I6 to a point where theyengage and are threaded into guide block M.

The cylinder Ill on its horizontal axis is slotted at I9 and 26 to allowfor the insertion of the slotted fork end 2| of the operating lever 9into the housing cylinder. A pin 22 through the slots in the fork oflever 9 attaches the lever to the piston rod I6. A pivot pin 23, throughthe offset portion 9 of lever 9 secures and supports said lever uponbracket 8.

At its outer end lever 9 has a split head 9a which encircles and istightened about ball 24 by means of a screw 25. Ball 24 supported fromthe connecting lever 26 serves to form a semiuniversal pivotalconnection between lever 9 and lever 26. At its opposite end lever 25 ispivotally secured to anchor plate 21 by means of pin 28.

In head I2, an air escape port 29 allows for the evacuation of air fromthe cylinder and for control of the escapement of air through port 29, Iprovide valve member 38 having a tapered end 3i. Valve 30 is slidablyoperated in passage 32 which intersects port 29 and has at its lower endvalve seat 32. Each end of Valve 30 has attached thereto cords or wires33, 33' which pass outwardly through the head and terminate in pullrings 34, 34'. Valve member 30 is maintained in its guiding passage 32by means of a retaining and adjusting screw boss 35 threaded in head I2and having a central hole 36 through which the rod 33 passes.

Method 0 operation This door closer of my invention is installed for useas follows: Base is bolted or fastened to the header member of a doorframe and anchor plate 21 is screwed or bolted to the top cross rail ofthe door. When the door is opened, the pressure against lever 26 actsupon lever 9 forcing it, at its outer end 90., to the right about thepivot at 23, thus causing end 2| to swing to the left. Lever 9, beingsecured to piston rod I6 by pin 22, draws the piston l5 on rod I6 to theleft against the compression of spring I8. In order that this stroke ofpiston I5 be insured of drawing sufficient air into the piston chamberto prevent a vacuum, I utilize the leather cup type of plunger commonwith many air pumps. Air is thus drawn into the chamber around theleather piston cup, and this air, when put under pressure, forces thecup tightly against the piston wall to form a cushion.

Therefore, when the door is released by one opening it, spring l8 actsupon the piston rod l6 and piston I5 to close the door. The cushionedair in the piston chamber allows the door to close in proportion to theevacuation permitted by the controllable escape port 29. If it isdesired that the door close rapidly the valve member 30 is set to allowfor the maximum escapement of air through port 29, and, of course, thedegree of control may be varied by the size of the opening presented byadjustment of valve 30 across port 29. It will be apparent that byclosing valve 30 across port 29, the cushion of air in the piston willresist the force of spring I 8 and the door will stand fully open untilthe air is released.

In order to simplify the: installation of the valve member 30 I drilland tap an internally threaded hole into which boss 35 is screwed. Asthe member 30 butts against the lower end of the boss 35 a limitation oftravel of the valve 30 is attained. Therefore, it being only necessaryto either completely prevent the air escaping through port 29 or to havea partial opening, it will be seen that a pull on cord 33 opens the portto the maximum opening at which screw boss 35 is set, and a similar pullon cord 33 will close the port 29 entirely.

In the accompanying drawings and specifica tions I'have illustrated andexplained one complete example of the physical embodiment of myinvention, wherein the parts are combined and arranged according to onemode I have thus far devised for the practical application of theprinciples of my invention, but it will be understood that changes andalterations may be made in this exemplified structure, within the scopeof my appended claims, without departing from the principles of myinvention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desireto secure by Letters Patent is:

1. The combination with a rigidly supported, slotted, tubular housinghaving a transverse partition forming an air cylinder and a springchamber, a piston in the air cylinder, a stem for the pistonreciprocable in the partition and having a cup in the chamber, and aspring interposed between said cup and an end wall of the chamber,

of an operating lever having a pivot exterior of the housing and pivotedat one end to the stem, a door-actuated lever pivoted at the other endof said operating lever, and means at the outer end of the air cylinderfor venting the same.

2. The combination with a rigidly supported, slotted, tubular housinghaving a transverse partition forming an air cylinder and a springchamber, a piston in the air cylinder, a stem for the pistonreciprocable in the partition and having a cup in the chamber, and aspring interposed between the cup and an end wall of the chamber, of anoperating lever having a pivot exterior of the housing, a slotted endfor said operating lever and means co-acting with said end for pivotalengagement with said lever, a door-actuated lever pivoted at the otherend of said operating lever, and means at the outer end of the aircylinder for venting the same.

LESTER C. PERKINS.

